Panel securing device



Sept. 21, 1965 G. HAUSER 3,207,460

PANEL SECURING DEVICE Filed July 10, 1963 //V VE N TOR GEORG HA USER A TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,207,460 PANEL SECURING DEVICE Georg Hauser, Weingartenstrasse 1, Oberursel, Taunus, Germany Filed July 10, 1963, Ser. No. 293,971 Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 28, 1962, H 46,768; Dec. 20, 1962, H 47,759 3 Claims. (Cl. 24827) This invention relates to the securing of encased objects to a panel, and it more particularly relates to the securing of encased instruments to apertured panels.

Encased instruments are conventionally secured to panels such as switchboards, automobile dashboards or the like by the use of screws, clamps and other complicated devices. These devices have many inherent drawbacks. The securing and releasing procedures are both time consuming and involved. This is particularly disadvantageous when the instrument is to be located in a relatively inaccessible place. Known devices occupying much of the space on the back of the instrument are inconvenient because it is frequently highly advantageous to leave the back of the instrument comparatively free for electrical connections. Frequently, existing securing devices which are somewhat effective on one panel cannot be used on panels of a different thickness. To be used on a panel of a different thickness, the securing device must be placed at a different location on the instrument housing or a completely different securing device must be used.

Accordingly an object of this invention is to provide a simple and economical device for securing encased objects to a panel.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a device which is capable of attaching encased instruments to panels of varying thicknesses.

In accordance with this invention the rear of the instrument housing fits through a panel opening and a flange on the front of the housing abuts against the panel. A spring secured to the rear of the housing extends toward the flange. The spring in its unstressed condition is substantially as long as the distance from the flange to the point of its connection with the housing to cause the flange abutting against one side of the panel and the spring abutting against the other side to hold the instrument in place. Since the end of the spring is disposed closely adjacent the flange, secure attachment can be made to relatively thin as well as relatively thick panels.

The leaf spring may be substantially circular having its free end dished in cross section with the tip projecting toward the housing surface and the sides sloping away from the surface. The tip of the free end becomes wedged in the panel opening while the sides of the free end abut against the edge of the panel opening to hold the instrument in position. The spring is automatically compressed against the side of the housing as it is inserted through the panel opening until the flange abuts against the front of the panel. The instrument then is held in place by the reaction of the leaf spring against the opening in the panel. To remove the instrument it is only necessary to pull the instrument from the front of the panel. Upon application of force from the front, the sides of the leaf spring are pressed against the side of the housing. The instrument can thus be removed in one simple pulling motion. Advantageously the sides of the leaf spring may be flanged or bent toward the housing surface to facilitate the insertion and removal of the instrument through the panel opening.

Novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view in elevation of another embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view in elevation of the embodiment of this invention shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 2 along the line CD.

In FIG. 1 is shown an encased object such as an instrument which is used for measuring or recording or has other control functions. The instrument is inserted into an opening in a panel 2 such as a switchboard, auto mobile dashboard or the like. The instrument includes a housing 1 having an annular shoulder or flange 8 at its head portion. Flange 8 is sufliciently large to cover the panel opening and to thus abut against the front of panel 2 while the rear portion of housing 1 is small enough to be inserted through the panel opening. The encased instrument is held in place by a securing device which reacts against the back of panel 2.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-3, leaf springs 15 are substantially circular or disc-like in shape and have one end permanently secured to hous ing 1 through spot welding or by means of rivets 11. The free end of disc 15 is dished in cross section as shown in FIG. 8 with tip 14 projecting toward the housing surface and sides 16 and 17 sloping away from the housing surface. In use, tip 14 remains wedged in the panel opening and sides 16 and 17 abut against the edge of the panel opening applying a component of force reacting perpendicular to the panel against the opening edge to cooperate with the force applied by flange 8. Sides 16 and 17 are bent or flanged 18 toward the housing surface to facilitate insertion and removal of disc 15 through the panel Opening. The circular shape of the leaf spring permits the housing to be removed by simply pulling it from the front. As force is applied from the front, sides 16 and 17 are automatically compressed against the side of the housing so that the instrument is removed in one simple pulling motion, and it is not necessary to manipulate the springs from the rear of panel 2.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for securing an encased object to a panel having an opening through which said object is inserted comprising a housing for encasing said object, a flange on said housing for being disposed on one side of the panel, a substantially flat leaf spring having an anchored portion and a free portion, said anchored portion being secured to said housing remote from said flange, said free portion being arcuate shaped with a central point on its periphery being adjacent said flange and adjacent to the surface of said housing, said periphery of said free portion tapering from said central point away from said surface of said housing on both sides of said central point to cause said free portion to be bowed away from said housing surface whereby said panel contacts a portion of said periphery of said free portion on each side of said References Cited by the Examiner central point 0t apply a flattening force to said free por- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion when said housing is pulled away from the panel by an application of pulling force to the flanged end of said 2 ggi g 2E 2 housing. 5 1 a 2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said peglaflee 248-4651, riphery of said free portion is bent toward said housing 2889125 6/59 Hmnerman "5 surface to facilitate the insertion and removal of said art 8'27 encased oblcct from the Panel CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said leaf 10 spring is substantially circular in shape. FRANK ABBOTT Examiner- 

1. A DEVICE FOR SECURING AN ENCASED OBJECT TO A PANEL HAVING AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH SAID OBJECT IS INSERTED COMPRISING A HOUSING FOR ENCASING SAID OBJECT, A FLANGE ON SAID HOUSING FOR BEING DISPOSED ON ONE SIDE OF THE PANEL, A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT LEAF SPRING HAVING AN ANCHORED PORTION AND A FREE PORTION, SAID ANCHORED PORTION BEING SECURED TO SAID HOUSING REMOTE FROM SAID FLANGE, SAID FREE PORTION BEING ARCUATE SHAPED WITH A CENTRAL POINT ON ITS PERIPHERY BEING ADJACENT SAID FLANGE AND ADJACENT TO THE SURFACE OF SAID HOUSING, SAID PERIPHERY OF SAID FREE PORTION TAPERING FROM SAID CENTRAL POINT AWAY FROM SAID SURFACE OF SAID HOUSING ON BOTH SIDES OF SAID CENTRAL POINT TO CAUSE SAID FREE PORTION TO BE BOWED AWAY FROM SAID HOUSING SURFACE WHEREBY SAID PANEL CONTACTS A PORTION OF SAID PERIPHERY OF SAID FREE PORTION ON EACH SIDE OF SAID CENTRAL POINT TO APPLY A FLATTENING FORCE TO SAID FREE PORTION WHEN SAID HOUSING IS PULLED AWAY FROM THE PANEL BY AN APPLICATION OF PULLING FORCE TO THE FLANGED END OF SAID HOUSING. 